§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Prime Minister whether she will place in the Library the statement given by Mr. Bernard Ingham about her meeting with 26 leading industrialists on Tuesday 21 May.
§ The Prime MinisterI have placed in the Library the press notice issued by my office on my meeting on May 21, 1985 with leading industrialists to discuss their part in the national effort to increase the number of students studying engineering and technology in higher education.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Prime Minister (1) what representations she made at her meeting with 26 leading industrialists on Tuesday 21 May about supporting engineering courses; and what was their reply;
(2) what response she had from 26 leading industrialists at her meeting with them on Tuesday 21 May about committing their firms to giving substantial and continuing practical help to polytechnics and universities.
§ The Prime MinisterMy colleagues and I had a very useful discussion with the industrialists about the part they can play in the national effort to increase the number of students studying engineering and technology in higher education, in the light of the Government's recently announced £43 million programme to expand relevant first degree and postgraduate output.
The industrialists said that they welcome, and fully supported, the Government's initiative to increase the output of engineering and technology graduates and postgraduates. They committed their firms to giving substantial and continuing practical help to the universities and polytechnics benefiting from the Government's programme. They offered more up-to-date equipment, more help with teaching staff and with the design of relevant courses, and they undertook to provide more sandwich course places and to sponsor more students.